Ink jet printing is a non-impact method for producing images by the deposition of ink droplets on a substrate (paper, transparent film, fabric, etc.) in response to digital signals. Ink jet printers have found broad applications across markets ranging from industrial labeling to short run printing to desktop document and pictorial imaging and large format printing for outdoor applications such as banners, signages, displays, posters, billboard and bus wraps.
Various types of inks and printing surfaces are available for inkjet printing. Inkjet ink compositions, which are substantially aqueous-based, when used in combination with non-porous/non-absorbent substrate surfaces such as vinyl, generally suffer from durability issues, including lightfastness, waterfastness, abrasion resistance and weather resistance. In order to overcome these problems, solvent based inks or UV curable inks were developed to be printed on non-absorbing substrates to achieve the desired durability. However, significant environmental, health and safety concerns exist with both of these types of ink, including evaporation of solvent or UV monomer during printing.
Further efforts to overcome durability issues included pre-treatment of the media to accept the ink and/or post-treatment to render the image sufficiently waterfast, lightfast, and/or durable for the intended use, thereby increasing the cost.
Thus it would be desirable to provide an aqueous-based inkjet ink set and printing method for a non-absorbent substrate surface having enhanced durability.